Sunday, July 11, 2010

Weekend Retro Rewind | Human League Don't You Want Me


Today I was thinking of some of my favorite summers ever. I loved the summer of 1982. I loved this song in the summer of 1982. It's new wave/synthpop UK group Human League's "Don't You Want Me".  I knew all the lyrics and here it is 28 years later and I can still sing this song word-for-word.

As a little girl, I remember listening to the song and thinking of it as a story and feeling sad and wondering which person was in the right. The former waitress or the boyfriend who helped turn her life around. Did I mention I was only NINE! Yes, at nine I was that into a song on the radio where I actually imagined the singers as real people singing about a real issue. Cute, right?






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22 comments:

  1. Cal's Canadian Cave of CoolnessJuly 11, 2010 at 1:08 AM

    Oh boy this takes me back. I have a picture of myself taken while working at Cadet Camp. The picture looks like it was taken in WWII because it's in black and white. I am wearing old style earphones and my uniform. The cassette I was listening to was this one by the Human League - Dare. I loved that group. Me and my friends and camp would wear dark eyeliner when we were off work because we were too cool like the Human League. The summer between grades 11 and 12 were the best and that album was the soundtrack for that time. Cool Post.

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  2. TS HendrikJuly 11, 2010 at 1:10 AM

    I got burnt out on the song from every bloody commercial using it. My favorite Human League song though is (Keep Feeling) Fascination.

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  3. Riot KittyJuly 11, 2010 at 2:21 AM

    Ooooooooh, that hair! I still love that song though.

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  4. cheeky roseJuly 11, 2010 at 5:00 AM

    It a great sing along song

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  5. AnonymousJuly 11, 2010 at 6:34 AM

    This a nice song. Though, I came across it recently. Love the simple music.

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  6. Gemma July 11, 2010 at 6:38 AM

    I may not have been born when they were around but I still love them. I knew about 'Don't You Love Me' but after watching Ashes to Ashes I found that they had some other songs that were pure AWESOME.

    I'm now listening to Mirror Man...

    www.save-your-bacon.blogspot.com

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  7. MoonDoggieJuly 11, 2010 at 7:03 AM

    I was thinking it was really bad that I only recognised Chris DeBurgh (Lady in Red) from all the 'stars' making footprints (What the hell was all that about?) but realised at the end it was German.

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  8. mamahasspokenJuly 11, 2010 at 10:30 AM

    I got married the summer of 82 so yes I do remember that time fondly...

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  9. MaceyJuly 11, 2010 at 6:50 PM

    Oh yeah??
    Well.
    I know all the words to Ice Ice Baby. Yeah. Take that!

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  10. Rawknrobyn.blogspot.comJuly 11, 2010 at 8:47 PM

    It is an unforgettable song. That is cute that you were really feeling it. Back in the day, songs had more real life meaning like that.
    xoRobyn

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  11. CopyboyJuly 12, 2010 at 7:59 AM

    I remember Casey (on some countdown show-haha) revealed that HL only knew how to play keyboards for this single. But for their follow up hit "I'm only Human" they learned to play other instruments. A band that grows. Nice. FYI...I used to massacre the last part of the lyrics to this song all the time "...and I can teach you pac-man too!"

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  12. Carma SezJuly 12, 2010 at 10:07 AM

    one of my all time absolute favorite songs!!

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  13. LaraAnnJuly 12, 2010 at 10:29 AM

    I like this song, but now sometimes I think about chocolate chip cookies when I hear it because of it being in that commercial. I like Human even more though.

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  14. MarleneJuly 12, 2010 at 12:20 PM

    Oh yeah, I remember it well! I also remember that crazy hair! The dude in the middle...(it IS a dude, right?)....cracks me up with that hair!

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  15. Big Mama CassJuly 12, 2010 at 3:17 PM

    I totally did that stuff when I was nine.

    I was actually only 4 when that song came out though.

    But I do know all of the words. Must say that was a very odd video though. Wow the makeup they used to wear. So glad that phase is over. OH WAIT! it's back! :( Awesome.

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  16. Joann MannixJuly 12, 2010 at 5:33 PM

    Hi Ally! I'm back from vacation and I've been poking my head up in everyone's blogs to say hi.

    My husband loved Human League. And yes, the song was sad and campy and all that other glorious stuff that Human League was so good at.

    Glad to be back here in Blog World!

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  17. buffalodickJuly 12, 2010 at 5:56 PM

    Might have been their only hit...

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  18. JillJuly 12, 2010 at 11:03 PM

    One of my favs! I could sing it word for word right now for you, but I won't.

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  19. Momma FargoJuly 13, 2010 at 12:25 AM

    OH, my! I think you brought back memories...and I actually had one of their haircuts once. UGH. Burn those pics. LOL

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  20. JennAventuresJuly 13, 2010 at 11:11 AM

    I actually heard this song at the club this weekend. Total throwback.

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  21. Heather TaylorJuly 13, 2010 at 7:03 PM

    I love this song! The '80s were a great time for music!

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  22. AnonymousJuly 14, 2010 at 2:47 PM

    I loved 80's avant-garde bands. And I loved British invasion punk bands of the era as well. This song means a lot to me - I was the same age you were when I first heard it. I made sense to my brain even then.

    Did you like Howard Jones?

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